Wainwright Series 2: A Doll Not to be Replace

CHAPTER 45

KHEILANIE

Ang ganda ng gising, dali akong bumangon sa kama ko at tumungo sa aparador.

I hummed a wedding song and swayed along with it. Hindi ako mapakali na inaarte ko ang mga nanyari kahapon noong ibinigay ko kay Kohlen ang sketch ng wedding outfits namin. Natutuwa lang din ako sa naging kinalabasan ng kaniyang reaksyon. But I was more than happy that we have our own set of matching clothes. Kung dati ay masaya akong gawin iyon para kay Khanarie at Codhille, but today, my heart is full of content for Kohlen and I.

I washed up and rewind to one embarrassing moment we shared. Ayaw akong pakawalan ni Kohlen kahapon, ayaw nitong humiwalay sa halikan namin. At dahil doon ay nakita kami ni Khally na magkahalikan at saka tinakbuhan kami. At noong kinagabihan ay pinuntahan ako ni Viera. Ipinaliwanag niya kung anong naging reaksyon ni Khally noong nahuli niya kami.

Idinaan ko na lang ang lahat nang iyon sa tawa, pero naisip ko rin na kausapin si Khally dahil doon. She isn't a child anymore for me to apologise to her, but I want to let her know that Kohlen and I are back together again. 

Pagkatapos kong mag-ayos ay tumingin ako sa orasan. 10:24 A.M.

"Alas-diyes na..." Muli akong humimig at sinuklayan ang aking buhok. It took a while for me to realize how long I slept. "ALAS DIYES NA!—Oh gosh!" 

Binilisan ko ang aking pagsusuklay at kumaripas ng takbo pababa sa pangalawang palapag upang kitain si Kohlen. Inaya din kasi ako nitong lumabas kami ngayon, kaya nakakahiya na pinaghintay ko siya ng matagal.

Pagkababa ko pa lang sinalubong ako ni Codhille. His face was empty again.

"Codhille? Are you okay?" I walk closer to him, a bit agitated because I have to tend to Codhille before searching for Kohlen. 

"Kheilanie." He rumbles my name in a restrain and problematic tone. 

May nabalitaan ba ito kay Khanarie ulit? Or maybe he has his episodes again? 

"May problema ba, Codhille? O may kailangan ka ngyaon?" Natulala na lang ito sa kawalan. He does have an episode again. "Codhille, would you like to join us out for a— " "I-it's Kohlen, Kheilanie." 

Nanlamig ang buong katawan ko nang magbago na naman ang tono ng pananalita niya. Nababahala naman ito at hindi mapakaling lumilinga sa kapaligiran namin. 

"B-bakit? A-anong nangyari kay Kohlen?" I stuttered.

Ibinaling nito ang atensyon sa akin at kita ko ang takot at dismaya sa kaniyang mga mata. What is happening right now?

"T-there was this woman." That broke a fourth wall of my overthinking. I do not want to assume, but I can't help but be in denial of what comes next. "S-she came up to Kohlen... and introduced herself to me that she was his fiancée."

Para akong pinagbagsakan ng langit at lupa sa sinabi niya. Kahapon lang ay niyayabangan niya akong magpo-propose ito sa akin. Pero ngayon ay may sumunod sa kaniya na babae at pinakilala ang sarili nito na fiancée siya ni Kohlen. 

"Where is he?" Pabulong kong tanong kay Codhille.

"What?"

"Where is your cousin, Codhille?" Muli kong tanong.

Hindi nakaimik agad si Codhille at umiwas ng tingin. Tumalikod din ito sa akin, "He's at the palace garden today. I left him and that woman because I felt ashamed of my cousin." 

Walang pasabi na dali kong iniwan si Codhille sa loob ng palasyo. All of my excitement burst like a bubble. Hindi ito ang inaasahan kong bubungad sa umaga ko. I was expecting for Kohlen to tease me for being late. We were supposed to laugh about it. Pero bakit naman ganito ang mababalitaan ko sa kaniyang pinsan na may babaeng sumunod sa kaniya dito sa palasyo at pinakilala ang sariling fiancée siya?!

"Siraulo talaga ang Kohlen na iyon! Gusto pa ata akong maging kabit o ipamukha sa amin noong dalawang babae na maaari niyang kunin ang loob ng isa sa amin!" I grunted and stepped into the garden. 

Kapag makita ko talaga si Kohlen ay sasakalin ko iyon! At kakalbuhin din para madala siya sa kalokohan niya! I did not spend my three years waiting for a man who promised me marriage. I did not spend three years perfecting a sketch of matching wedding clothes. 

"KOHLEN STEADMAN!" Bulyaw ko sa kaniyang pangalan nang matagpuan ko itong nakatayo mag-isa sa hardin.

I paused for a moment, admiring the set-up of the garden. There rose petals scattered on the grass towards the fountain. And Kohlen stands there, looking sharp and charming. It was beautiful. A perfect place where you could propose to someone, yet it wasn't for me.

Kaysa kiligin ay sinugod ko siya. Napalingon siya sa akin na nakangiti nang napakalawak. 

"Why are you mad?" Pagtataka nito nang makalapit ako.

Hindi ako sumagod. Instead, I stood right in front of him; and pulled his vest down. I tiptoed to seal a kiss to him. 

I let go and glare at him, "Where is the other woman? Kohlen Steadman, I am not the person you should be messing with right now. I have the best morning, yet you have another woman behind me back?!" 

"Ha?! Sinasabi mo?" 

Umiling ako at inikot ang tingin ko sa kapaligiran namin. "Come out! Or else I will drag you out of hiding! How dare you—Papá?!" Tumili ako ng makita kong nakatayo pala sa isang tabi si Papá at nanlalaki ang kaniyang mga mata. 

Pati si Viera at Khally ay naroon sa kaniyang tabi, they were gaping at me. And I soon realize that we were not the only people here. In short, everyone in this palace gathers to watch something that I may or may not ruin an important moment.  

"A-anong nangyayari? Bakit ang andito ang lahat? Na-nasaan iyong f-finacée mo?" Bumlaing ulit ako kay Kohlen at dinuduro ito. 

He looked at me, confused as well. "Anong fiancée? Wala akong ibang fiancée maliban sa'yo!"

Uminit ang buong mukha ko sa kahihiyan at napaupo ako sa damuhan. 

Nakakahiya! Anong ginawa ko?!

"Did Codie tell you something else?" Tumango ako ng hindi makatingin sa kaniya. "Bwisit na Sotello 'yon!" He groaned and tried to pull me up. "Stand, baby, ako dapat ang nakaluhod sa harap mo at hindi ikaw," bulong niya sa akin kaya napatingin ako sa kaniya. 

He helps me up and like what he said a while back he gets down in one knee. A lot is happening, yet Kohlen is composed and unfazed. I covered my mouth at he took out a small black box from his pocket. "Kung anong kagaguhan 'yang sinabi ni Codie sa'yo ay huwag kang maniniwala doon. Siraulo 'yon! At inggit din kasi humingi ako ng tulong sa kaniya ngayon. Tangina niya at kamuntik pang masabotahe itong proposal ko." 

Hindi maiwasang matawa ako dito at inilibot ang tingin ko sa mga sumasaksi sa pag-propose sa akin ni Kohlen. In the midst of the crowd, Codhille stood there with an apologetic smile. Napailing ako sa kaniya na nakaismid. 

"Kheilanie Wainwright, my princess, my queen," Kohlen starts to recite his proposal. I look at him as he stares at me with full of love. He opens the small box, and an adorable diamond ring appear. "I swore to give you a ring on my next proposal. I promise to be down in one knee and let your father know about it. And I taunted you yesterday that I will propose today," he wipe a tear away. 

I feel a burning sensation at the edge of my eye. My lips quivered as I try to smile. 

"My seamstress princess. My Kheilanie, will you marry me?"

Pinunasan ko ang luha ko at ngumiti sa kaniya, "YES!" Sagot ko rito at tumatango.

Nagliwanag ang mukha niya at kinuha ang kamay ko nang maisuot niya ang singsing sa daliri ko. "I love you, Kheilanie! Fuck! You made me the happiest man ever, my queen!" Hinalikan niya ako sa harap ng mga sumubaybay at pinalakpakan nila kami.

Nang maghiwalay kami ni Kohlen ay hinarap ko si Papá. And after how many years, he was smiling genuinely at me. 

"Papá?" I muttered in deep breath.

He nodded.

"He accepts us, Kheilanie," Kohlen whispered beside me. 

My hear explodes in delight. Finally, he accepts us!